Carrot Production in

California

UC Vegetable Research
& Information Center

vric.ucdavis.edu

Vegetable Production Series

JOE NUEZ, University of California Cooperative Extension Farm

Advisor, Kern County; TIM HARTZ, University of California Cooperative
Extension Vegetable Crops Specialist, University of California, Davis;
TREVOR SUSLOW, University of California Cooperative Extension
Postharvest Specialist, University of California, Davis; MILT MCGIFFEN,
University of California Cooperative Extension Plant Physiologist, University
of California, Davis; and ERIC T. NATWICK, University of California
Cooperative Extension, Imperial County

Production Areas and Seasons

Climate Requirements

California has four main production areas for carrots

(Daucus carota): the southern San Joaquin Valley and the
Cuyama Valley (Kern and Santa Barbara Counties); the
southern desert (Imperial and Riverside Counties); the
high desert (Los Angeles County); and the central coast
(Monterey County).
Carrots are grown year-round in California. In the
southern San Joaquin and Cuyama Valleys, carrots are
planted from December to March for harvest from May
to July and from July to September for harvest from
November to February. In the southern desert, they
are planted from August to February for harvest from
December to June. In the high desert they are planted
from April to July for harvest from August to December.
On the central coast, they are planted from December to
August for harvest from April to January.

Carrots, a cool-season crop, will tolerate warm temperatures early in the growing season. Roots attain
optimal color when the air temperature is 60 to 70F
(18 to 21C). Root color can deepen rapidly when
temperatures are within this range 3 weeks before
harvest. Above 86F (30C), the growth of foliage
is reduced and strong flavors develop in the roots,
reducing their market quality. Below 50F (10C), carrot roots and foliage grow slowly. Carrots may tolerate some frost.

FRESH MARKET CARROT ACREAGE AND VALUE

Year

Acreage

Average yield
(ton/acre)

Gross value/
acre

2003

68,000

15.00

$6,120

2004

66,500

15.25

$6,558

2005

67,500

15.50

$6,677

2006

69,500

15.25

$6,389

Source: National Agriculture Statistics Service 2007 (United States

Department of Agriculture, 2007).

PROCESSING CARROT ACREAGE AND VALUE

Acreage

Average yield
(ton/acre)

Gross value/
acre

2003

3,500

32.3

$3,230

2004

4,300

32.0

$3,552

2005

4,100

35.0

$2,870

2006

4,500

33.0

$4,125

Year

Source: National Agricultural Statistics Service 2007 (United States

Department of Agriculture, 2007).

Varieties and Planting

Techniques
Consumer demand for uniform roots of deep orange
color has led to extensive use of Imperator-type
hybrids. Varieties for the cut and peel market include
Sugarsnax, Topcut, Primecut, Trinity, Imperial Cut,
and Tastypeel. Cello varieties commonly used include
Apache, Navajo, Maverick and Choctaw. Some of
the major producers in California also use their own
proprietary varieties. Nantes-type varieties, commonly grown in Europe and in home gardens, are not
normally grown commercially in California. There is
a growing interest by producers in other colored carrots such as reds, yellows, and purple, and these are
beginning to be grown on a larger scale.
Carrots are always direct seeded. Both raw and
pelleted seed are used. Carrot seed vary from 175,000
to 400,000 per pound (80,000 to 180,000 per kg) and
are sown at the rate of 0.9 to 1.3 million seeds per
acre (0.4 to 0.5 million per ha). Higher densities are
used for plantings for the cut and peel market. Seed
within a lot vary significantly in size, maturity, vigor
and germination time; emergence often occurs over
several days. Seed are most commonly sown in six or
eight lines in beds 40 inches (1 m) wide with three or
four rows on each bed shoulder. Seed are placed in a
narrow groove and are lightly covered.

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources
http://anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu

Publication 7226

Soils and Irrigation

The upper 30 inches (75 cm) of soil should be uniform and free of barriers to root growth. Although
carrots are often grown on sandy soils, the ideal soil
is silt loam, which provides the best combination of
water-holding capacity and drainage. Heavy soils
can encourage hairy, deformed roots. Carrots can be
successfully produced in both acid and alkaline soils;
California carrot fields typically range in pH from 5.5
to 8.0.
A uniform water supply is critical for good color
and root formation. If significant wet-dry cycles occur,
the roots will split. Excessive watering discourages
good color formation and may encourage disease.
Carrots are usually irrigated by solid-set sprinklers.
In the Imperial Valley, carrots are germinated using
solid-set sprinklers, then switched to furrow irrigation at the first cultivation. Some acreage has been
converted to center pivot irrigation, but its use is still
limited. Drip irrigation has been tested with carrots,
but the results have been poor.

Fertilization
Carrot is a deep-rooting crop, able to efficiently
extract nitrogen (N) from soil to a depth of several
feet. Seasonal nitrogen application varies widely
among growers and fields, ranging from as low as 100
pounds of nitrogen per acre (110 kg/ha) to over 250
pounds per acre (280 kg/ha). University research has
shown that seasonal nitrogen rates greater than 150
pounds of nitrogen per acre (170 kg/ha) are seldom
necessary to maximize root yield, and that excessive
nitrogen application increases root cracking during
harvest and handling. A small amount of nitrogen is
typically applied preplant with phosphorus (P) fertilizer, with the majority of nitrogen applied either as a
sidedressing or through sprinkler irrigation.
Phosphorus fertilization should be done based on
soil test phosphorus level. Fields with soil phosphorus greater than 30 ppm (by the bicarbonate extraction method, suitable for neutral to alkaline soils), or
greater than 70 ppm (by the Bray extraction method,
suitable for acid soils) require minimal phosphorus
fertilization. Soils with very low soil phosphorus levels may require as much as 250 pounds of P2O5 per
acre (280 kg/ha). Likewise, potassium (K) fertilization
should be done on the basis of a soil test. Fields with
exchangeable potassium greater than 100 ppm are
likely to respond positively to potassium fertilization,
while fields with greater than 200 ppm exchangeable
potassium should not require potassium fertilization.
Application rates as high as 200 pounds of K2O per
acre (225 kg/ha) may be justified in sandy soils with
very low exchangeable potassium.

Carrot Production in California

Root Forking, Stubbing, and

Color
Damage to the growing root tip may cause the carrot root to fork or stub, rendering it unmarketable.
Forking or stubbing often occurs within a few weeks
after the seed germinates. Many diseases can cause
forking. Poor soil structure, improper irrigation management, or hard freezes can also cause forking or
stubbing. To help prevent forking and stubbing,
prepare the soil well so that it has good tilth and
drainage and avoid over- or under-watering young
carrots.
As the carrot root matures, carotene accumulates,
causing the root to change from yellow-white to yellow and then orange. Although varieties differ in their
potential for orange color, soil fertility, temperature,
and water content have the main effects on root color.
The health of the leaves plays a minor role in root
color unless the tops are severely stressed.

Integrated Pest Management

Integrated pest management (IPM) information is
continually being developed for carrots. Cultural
control methods such as mechanical cultivation, field
sanitation, and good drainage and irrigation management are important components of IPM that help
minimize chemical controls. Herbicides, insecticides,
nematicides, and fungicides should always be used
in compliance with label instructions. For detailed
information about IMP for carrots, see the UC IPM
Pest Management Guidelines for Carrots Web site,
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/selectnewpest.
carrots.html. Herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides
should always be used in compliance with label
instructions.

Weed Management
Many weeds, including summer and winter annuals
and perennials, are pests of carrots. Nutsedges, both
yellow (Cyperus esculentus) and purple (C. rotundus),
are the worst weed pests in carrots. Postemergence
herbicides control yellow nutsedge, but no herbicide
is registered for purple nutsedge control in carrots.
Cultivation and preplant chemical treatments offer
some control of nutsedges, and fallow summer treatments can also be effective. Nutsedges do not compete
with fall-planted carrots because nutsedge growth
slows and eventually ceases as temperatures cool
and as carrots provide more shade. Preemergence or
postemergence herbicides are available for control
of grass, cereal, and broadleaved weeds; chemicals
applied to control nematodes may also control weeds.
Consult your local UCCE Pest Control Farm Advisor
for details.

Insect Identification and Control

Crickets, grasshoppers, pale-striped flea beetle larvae
and adults, cutworms, and saltmarsh caterpillars can
be serious pests of carrots by feeding on seedlings.
Remove weeds in or near fields and disk in plant
residue from infested fields to help keep flea beetle
populations low.
Saltmarsh caterpillars (Estigmene acrea) are a
problem in carrot fields planted next to a cotton field
that has been defoliated for harvest. Building trenches
or other barriers at the border of the cotton field can
stop the movement of these pests.
Aphids (various species) can be serious pests of
carrots at all stages of development. Besides directly
feeding on carrots, they also vector several viral diseases. Chemical control is usually not required for
aphids because naturally occurring predators and
parasites help keep their populations below economic threshold levels. Field sanitation helps reduce
the aphid population. Carrots should not be planted
near cotton or melons to reduce the movement of the
cotton-melon aphid (Aphis gossypii) into carrot fields
when these crops are harvested.
Dense populations of adult silverleaf whitefly
(Bemisia argentifolii) may immigrate into late-August
or September plantings of carrots in the low deserts
of southern California and may damage seedlings.
Whiteflies cause damage by removing plant sap.
Additionally, moderate to high populations of whitefly nymphs can contaminate foliage with honeydew
and sooty mold, reducing photosynthesis.

Disease Identification and Management

The fungi Pythium ultimum, P. irregulare, Rhizoctonia
solani, and Macrophomina spp. can cause forking, stubbing, and dieback in carrots. Soil fumigation can
reduce the amount of dieback in a field and can control several other pests as well. Powdery mildew, a
fungal disease, can be a problem in areas with high
humidity and warm temperatures. Symptoms of
powdery mildew are white powdery growths on the
upper surface of the leaves. Seedling damping-off can
be the result of Pythium spp., Rhizoctonia solani, and
other soilborne fungal pathogens. Seed treatments
and soil fumigation to control nematodes and/or
weeds can reduce damping-off pathogens.
Cavity spot can be a severe disease of carrots that
can cause the loss of the entire crop. This disease is
caused by the soilborne fungal pathogens Pythium
violae and P. sulcatum. Small, brown, water-soaked
lesions develop on the root surface and may enlarge
and open into a dry, sunken lesion as the carrot
matures. Cavity spot generally increases in fields with
a previous history of carrot plantings. Alfalfa is also
a host for P. violae, and carrots that follow alfalfa may

Carrot Production in California

show symptoms. Fungicide applied preplant and in
two to three postplant applications reduces cavity
spot.
Root rots of carrots can be caused by several plant
pathogens. Cottony soft rot (Sclerotinia sclerotiorum), a
problem in cool, moist conditions, is a cottony white
mass of fungal growth around the base of the carrot.
Large black sclerotia can be found in the fungal mass
and on the carrot itself. It can be reduced by deep
plowing before planting and by chemical treatments.
Southern blight (Sclerotium rolfsii) favors warm
temperatures. It produces a low-lying dense mat of
brown fungal growth on the soil surrounding the
carrot, with brown sclerotia located throughout the
fungal mat. It can be reduced by deep plowing before
planting and rotating to nonhost crops such as small
grains or corn.
Bacterial soft rot (Erwinia carotovora) can be recognized as a soft rot not associated with any fungal
growth and accompanied by a foul odor. It occurs
in waterlogged soils during warm temperatures.
Preparing the soil to eliminate low spots, increasing
drainage, and avoiding overwatering are control measures for all the soft rots.
Leaf blights are caused by several pathogens and
can be difficult to identify in the field. Alternaria
leaf blight (Alternaria dauci) can be very serious.
Symptoms appear as dark-brown to black necrotic
lesions along the margins of the leaves and on the
petioles. Symptoms first appear on the older foliage
and then on younger leaves if warm, moist conditions
persist. Long-beaked, multicelled comidia can be seen
with the aid of a microscope on the leaves and petioles of diseased plants. Under a microscope, carrot
early blight (Cerocospora carotae) can be differentiated
from Alternaria leaf blight by the very thin threadlike
spores. C. carotae produces on the lesions.
Bacterial blight (Xanthomonas campestris) symptoms
are slightly different from those of Alternaria leaf
blight in that the lesions are not as dark and may be
surrounded by a yellow halo. Bacterial oozing may
also be seen on the lesions present on the leaves and
petioles. The bacterial exudates are particularly visible on the flower stalks of plants that have bolted.
Alternaria leaf blight and bacterial blight are seedborne diseases that can be avoided by planting seed
known to be disease free. Fungicides can be used for
control of early blight and Alternaria blight. Copper
fungicides work best for bacterial blight, although
this disease is rarely a serious problem.
The main symptoms of black root rot (Alternaria
radicina) are black lesions on the base of the petioles.
The lesions may extend down into the root, causing
the characteristic black crown. Crop rotation may
reduce the spores in the soil; the spores are known
to survive in the soil for more than 5 years without

4
a host. Plowing, to turn the spores under, has been
shown to reduce the incidence of this disease in fields
with a history of black root rot. Fungicides can also be
used for control but must be directed at the canopy to
protect the petioles and crown.
Two viruses affect carrots in California. Carrot
motley dwarf is found in the cooler carrot-growing
regions along the central coast. Infected plants appear
stunted and have reddish tops. The disease is transmitted by aphids to newly planted fields from previously infected overwintering fields and can be controlled by avoiding planting near overwintering carrot fields. Carrot thin leaf is another aphid-vectored
viral disease that can spread from infected volunteer
carrots. Symptoms are the thin leaves that give the
virus its name. Eliminating volunteer carrots reduces
the chances of the virus spreading into newly planted
fields.

Nematodes
The root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne spp.), the primary nematode pest of carrots, causes stubbing, forking, and galling of the roots. It is found in all carrotgrowing regions of California. Other nematode pests
include the stubby root nematode (Trichodorus spp.
and Paratrichodorus spp.) and the needle nematode
(Longidorus africanus). Nematicides or soil fumigants
are used to control nematodes. Soil fumigants applied
by chemigation or injection into the soil may give
other benefits such as weed and soilborne disease
control. Crop rotation can also reduce these pests.

Harvesting and Handling

Commercially grown carrots are harvested using
self-propelled multirow harvesters. Some machines
can harvest more than 1,000 tons (907 t) of carrots per
day (about 30 semi-truck loads). The 4-row machines
dig two beds 42 inches (105 cm) wide per pass, lift
the roots using a system of belts, shear off the tops,
and deposit the roots into a waiting truck or trailer.
The carrots are then hauled to a shed for washing,
grading, sizing, and packing. In the Central Valley,
carrots are hauled a short distance, usually to sheds
in Bakersfield, whereas carrots grown in the desert
may be hauled over 300 miles (480 km). The grower
pays part of the freight to the shed. On average, 40 to
80 percent of all the carrots growing in the field are
harvested and packed out. Carrots that are damaged by the harvester or by insects or are diseased,
deformed, or off-color are culled.
Carrots may be grown specifically for the cut and
peel market, or culled carrots may be cut and peeled.
Harvesting carrots for the minicarrot and cut and
peel market is difficult because of the high density of
roots. During harvesting, excess dirt may be picked
up, increasing the tare hauled to the shed. Dirt is also

Carrot Production in California

expensive to remove and dispose of at the shed. For
bunched carrots the beds are undercut and the carrots
are hand-sorted in the field. The green tops are bound
with a wire twist tie, and the bunches are loaded onto
flatbed trucks and hauled to the shed for washing and
packaging. Careful handling of carrots during and
after harvest prevents bruising, shatter-cracks, and tip
breaks and prolongs storage life.

Postharvest Handling
Before storage, carrots are generally washed and
hydrocooled in clean water with 100 ppm chlorine
at pH 6.5 to 7.5 before being packed in plastic-lined
bins. Research has shown, however, that if carrots
are to be stored for an extended period, carrot quality is highest and postharvest losses lowest if they are
stored with the tops on, unwashed, and in plasticlined bins. Topping and handling during washing
increases cracking and scuffing damage, which leads
to increased rot. Unwashed storage has worked successfully with harvests from light, sandy soils. Soil
type, harvest conditions, and local experience should
prevail in handling and storage decisions.
Ideal storage conditions for carrots are 32F (0F) at
99 percent relative humidity (RH). Under these conditions, carrots have been stored successfully for more
than 7 months with minimal losses (10 to 15 percent)
due to dehydration and decay. At 33.8F (1C) and 98
percent RH, the conditions common in most storage,
the maximum recommended storage is 5 months.
Carrots for the cut and peel market are generally
cut into 21-inch (5-cm) segments (slugs). These carrots may be held in plastic-lined bins prior to peeling
and shaping and should have adequate air circulation and uniform temperature during storage to
minimize decay and sprouting. Bunched carrots and
forcing-type cut and peel carrots are highly perishable, especially with tops intact. They must be thoroughly precooled to 32F (0C) and can be stored at
this temperature at 99 percent RH for up to 2 weeks.
Top icing, although not necessary with properly precooled carrots, is often used for bunched carrots to
demonstrate that low temperature and high humidity
existed during transit.
During storage and transportation, carrots should
not be exposed to ethylene gas from propane-powered lift trucks or produce such as apples or pears.
Ethylene induces the production of compounds that
cause bitterness in carrots.

Postharvest Disorders
The most important storage decays of carrots are gray
mold (Botrytis spp.), watery soft rot (Sclerotinia spp.),
Rhizopus rot, bacterial soft rot (Erwinia spp.), and
sour rot (Geothrichurn spp.). Decay can be controlled
by proper storage and handling to prevent mechani-

Carrot Production in California

cal injury (fluctuations in temperature during storage

promotes water condensation and decay). Whiteness
of the cut or peeled surface (white blush), common
on fresh-cut carrots (cut and peel, sticks, and coins), is
caused by dehydration. Use sharp cutting blades and
keep free moisture on work surfaces during packaging to prevent this disorder. A white, edible coating
that reduces white blush has been developed that
may be applied before packaging.

Bunched

Shipping Containers

9-pound carton of 1-pound cello bags

Shipping containers for the various types of processed

carrots are as follows.

Marketing

Topped

50-pound carton or sack containing loose carrots

or ten 5-pound film (cello) bags
40-pound carton of 1-pound cello bags
26-pound carton of bunched carrots
25-pound carton of loose carrots
24-pound carton of 1-pound cello bags
15-pound carton of twenty 12-ounce cello bags

26-pound carton or crate

Mini-carrots
20-pound carton of 1-pound cello bags
15-pound carton of twenty 12-oz cello bags

Fresh-cut
18-pound carton of 1- or 2-pound cello bags

Carrots are shipped from California year-round.

Shipments are highest from December to August.
California produces about 85 percent of all carrots grown in the United States. Colorado, Florida,
Michigan, Texas, and Washington are other important carrot-producing states. Major carrot imports
come from Canada and Mexico.

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